Detachable-rim device for road-vehicles.



A. FLETT.

DETAOHABLE RIM nnvwn FOR 110.11) VEHICLES.

APBLIOATIOH FILED APR. 26, 1910. I

, Patented Sept. 19,1911.

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v A. PLETT. .DE'I'AOHABLE RIM DEVIQB FOB ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLIOATIOH nun [n.sa. 1910.

m' se v 'zfiw izerfzaza M ifmamfm Patented Sept. 19,1911. v

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DETAOHABLE RIM DEVICE FOR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPL IOATION FILED APR. 26, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ALEXANDER FLETT, QF LONDON, ENGLAND.

tDETACHABLE-RIM DEVI C'E FOR ROAD-VEHICLES the following'is'a full, clear, and exact de-.

scription.

the like, of the type in which a tire-carrying rim is held in place between a fixed flange securedj'to'the' felly and a loose flange,

According This inventlon relates to detachable rims for the pneumatic tires, of automobiles and' to, the present invention, the:

detachablerim'fit'ted with the tire is clamped at the curved or beveled shoulders of its edges between a fixed flange and a loose. flange, which latter is secured by means of a studs or in the other'flange; the inner portions of these slots are oblique to the plane of the wheel so'as to provide a screw-like grip by the final rotation of the loose flange. This rotation may be effected by one or more pinions engaging internal teeth or racks of short length uponthe loose flange.

The annexed drawings illustrate the invention. T I Figured is a front elevation of the complete wheel. Fig, 2 is, a side elevation, of

bayonet joint consisting of a number of Jorojections carried by, one of thef which the upper half is a section on line- 35 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the wheel with the rim detached. Fig. t is anelcvation oi the rim, and tire. Fig. 0 an elevation of the loose flange. Flg. (3 1s a detail of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is 'a detail of the operating gear also on a larger scale. Fig. 8 ,is a cross section likewise on a larger scale, on line 8-1-8 of Fig.3,

showing the tire and rim in ,place. Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 8, on line 99 of;

Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a similar section online ,10-10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the locking device. Fig. 12 is a cross section of the loose flange according to a modification. Fig. 13 is a view of asuitable key, Fig. 14 is a view of an alternative form of key. v I, The rim 1 may be of the ordinary clencher form employed for non-detachable rims, but instead of the ordinary security bolts extending inward though the folly, there may be'used special security bolts having a very Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 19, 1-911. v Application filed April 26, 1910. Serial No. 557,768.

' shallow nut on the inner sideoff tihfe r'ifn'in the known manner, Existing detachable rims of this type may therefore be used 'if necessary, in conjunction with parts constructed in accordance with this invention. The rim 1 is clamped at its curved or beveled edges 1 between 'two flanges having seatings of corresponding shape, which are secured together by a bayonet joint. Preferably the slots are in a binding hoop 3 which encircles and is secured to the telly 4 and is formed .integral'with the inner fixed flange 5. The slots extend partly across this hoop and their inner portions (3' are inclined at an angle of, for example, five to ten degrees to the plane of the wheel as seen in Figs. 2 and (5. provided with a return flange 7 fitting against the outer side of the felly 4:. The projections 8 are preferably carried by thejloose flange 9 and may consist of down-turned lips 10 formed upon a number of lugs 10 on the inner side of the flange as shown in Fig, 12. In the preferred construction, the projections 8 are formed integrally with plates 11 which are riveted upon the outer side of the lugs, the projections themselves passing in} wardly through the same. adapted to enter between the detachable rim '1 and the binding hoop 3 as seen in Fig. 9. The hoop 3 has a circular facing 3 upon its outer eige to receive and support the loose flange 9. The loose flange is rotated in either direction as required, by means of one or more pinions 12 mounted on, for example, the return flange 7 of the binding hoop and engaging internal 'teeth or racks 13 secured to the loose flange 9 by screws 13'. These pinions 12 may he permanently in place as shown in Figs. 3, 7 and S with shanks 1 1 journaled in holes 16 and rotatable by square-ended or other keys 15,

or they may he made integral with the keys,

in a hole 19 or one of a number of similar holes in the return flange. The plate may have teeth out upon two edges 20.21 or more, indifferent pitch-relation, to allow for fine adjustment. It-is to be noted that in the clamping of a rim, which is of a rigid na- The outer edge of the hoop 3 may be.

These lugs are ture but necessarily variesin size to a small extent, it is essential that the method'of fixing shall take account of such possible variation in width and in diameter. This is allowed for by the beveled seatings and the margin which is provided by the length of the oblique slots 6 6'. A hinged cover 22 is arranged to inclose the rack and locking plate, and is secured in any convenient man-- between the security bolts and valve, so that in the case of a tire with four security'bolts v there will be five bayonet joints. If. desired,

the'rim may be provided with means for engaging the felly or flanges in a positive manner-pin order to prevent creeping. For example the binding hoop may be furnished with a number of open-sided bosses 26 into which a special driving lug 27 or the nuts 2 of the security bolts are passed.

The method of operation is the following:If it is necessary to change a rim by reason of the deflation of the tire or for any other cause, the covers 22 are opened and the keys 15 engaged with the pinions 12.

By turning the keys simultaneously in a contra-clockwise direction the loose flange 9 will be rotated and the projections traveling along the oblique parts 6 of the slots 6 will cause the flange 9 to move away from the rim toward the position in dotted line's in Fig. 8. When the projections reach the corners of the slots 6, the flange 9 will be sufficiently free to be pulled away by hand. The rim 1 and the tire T are thenremoved, the part opposite the valve 25 being taken off first and the valve then lifted out of the hole 2 Another rim 1 carrying a ready inflated. tire is next fitted, the valve being first inserted in the hole 24, and the rim then brought into position against the fixed flange 5. After the rim has been pressed into place, the loose flange 9 is placed in position with itsprojections 8 facing the open ends of the bayonet slots 6, pushed inward until the projections reach the corners of the slots and then rotated in the clockwise direction. This rotation will bring the racks into engagement with the pinions 12, and the looseflange is then tightened by means of the keys. When it is quite secure, the locking plate is inserted in one or other of its positions and finally the covers 22 arelclosed and fixed.

It will be seenfrom an examination of the drawings that when a new rim 1 is fitted in place and the rack-provided flange is part rotated, the rim is automatically centered by the action of the bevel seatings afforded by the flanges 5 and 9 and this centering is obtainedby the single movement of the flange 9. Further it will be remarked that the bevel" seatings exert .the

centering action equally well upon either a rinrl with only curved edges or a rim'l with beveled shoulders, as in the example illustrated. v

To facilitate the engagement of the pin ions and racks, the sides of the teeth may be beveled in the well known way, as shown in Fig. 14 in the case of the pinion. In the construction, (see Figs. 7 and 8,) the pinof the parts of the construction, they are made preferably either entirely or in part of non-rusting metals. For example therim itself may be made of steel'in the usual way and the two flanges or in some cases the loose flange only may be made of suitable non-rusting metal, for example .phosphor bronze or an aluminium alloy of suflicient strength.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as such and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A detachable rim device, comprising a tire-carrying rim, a fixed flange secured upon the wheel, a loose flange, seatings for said rim upon said flanges, said seatings acting to center said rim between said flanges, a bayonet-joint between said flanges, said bayonet joint including slots having inner portions oblique to the plane of the wheel, a curved rack secured upon said loose flange, a pinion adapted to en gage said rack, said pinion journaled at a fixed point of the wheel, means for rotat ing said pinion, means for locking said loose flange at any one of a plurality of positions, said locking means comprising a plate having teethupon opposite edges and arranged in different pitch-relation and a cover adapted to inclose said rack and looking means, said locking means being attached to said cover.

2. A detachable rim device, comprising a tire-carrying rim, a fixed flange secured upon the wheel, a loose flange, seatings for said r-im upon said flanges, said seatings, acting to center sald mm between said flanges, .a. bayonet-joint between said flanges, said bayonet-joint including slots edges of said locking late, said teeth being in graduated pitch-re ation and adapted to engage said rack in any. one of a plurality of positions of said loose flange, a squared 5 shank to said locking plate, s'aid squared shank adapted to engage with said fixed fiange, and a cover adapted to inclose said rack and locking plate, said locking plate being attached to said cover.

3. A detachable rim device, comprising a tire-carrying rim,a fixed flange secured upon the wheel, a loose flange, seatings for said rim upon'said flan es, said seatings acting to center said mm between said 15 flanges, a bayonet-joint between said flanges,

said bayonet joint including slots having inner portions oblique to the plane of the wheel, curved racks secured upon said loose flange, pinions adapted to eng age. said racks,

20 said pinions journaled in sand fixed flange,

, a locking plate,

, and locking plate,

means for rotating said pinions in unison, teeth upon ed es of said locking plate, said teeth adapte to engage one of said racks in any one of a, plurality. of positions of said loose flange, a squared 25 shank to said locking plate, said. squared shank-adapted to engage with said fixed flange, a cover adapted to inclose said rack a chain attaching said locking plate to the inside of said cover, a 36 second cover inclosing another of said curved racks and means for securing said, covers in the closed positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

ALEXANDER FLETT.

Witnesses:

VICTOR F. FEENY, CYRIL J. FEENY. 

